Company Matches

'Bud-Miller' would own nearly half the world's top beers

One giant brewer could soon own nearly half the world's top beers.

The world's leading brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev(BUD), is planning a takeover of its main rival SABMiller(SBMRF). If the deal happens, it will be the biggest merger in brewing history, creating a company with sales of $55 billion.

And a huge stable of beer brands.

The new entity would own 18 of the world's 40 most popular beers by volume, Euromonitor data shows.

British giant SABMiller's biggest seller is Miller Lite. The pilsner style offering is the 15th most popular beer in the world.

SABMiller owns four other brands in the top 40: Castle, Chibuku, Carling Black Label and Aguila. This reflects the brewer's sweeping global footprint -- from Africa, to Europe and South America. The company operates in six continents and produces more than 200 brands of beer worldwide.

Together ABInBev and SABMiller own 18 of the top beers in the global top 40. Here's the list: